More kids from underprivileged communities in Cape Town will now have the chance to learn about sailing thanks to a generous donation made to The Little Optimist Trust.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has granted a grant of €26 000 [just over R500 00] to the non-profit organisation situated in the V&A Waterfront.
The donation comes after the Little Optimist Trust was chosen as a Laureate for the prestigious Sustained Insight and Impact Initiative.
This programme was launched in collaboration with the IOC to sustain and scale the social impact legacy of the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Greg Bertish, the founder of the Trust, said: “The grant will allow us to implement sailing as a form of therapy but also a means for inclusion to communities who never had access to sailing before.”
The Little Optimist Trust was also the only NPO from SA to be named a winner in 2021, having been awarded one of only nine funds given out by IMPACT 2024 Paris Olympics.
According to Bertish, they will receive the funding in January 2025.
“Because of this funding we can keep all the youth and employ them permanently, and they will go out to other sites and train volunteers and staff at other organisations.”
The new funding will allow them to expand their reach across South Africa, setting up multiple new sites and developing even more impactful multi-day programs.
The Sailing Therapy Academy has made waves over the past three years, positively impacting over 1,000 young lives.
Grassy Park's Amir Yaghya is one of many young sailors who have flourished because of The Little Optimist Trust.
Yaghya won the SA420 national championship title in 2023 as well as the Great Optimist Race with Shane Joseph and Josh September.
byron.lukas@inl.co.za